


Taking Responsibility

by Spring_Emerald



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, KuroDai Week, KuroDai Week 2016, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 20:43:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6299713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spring_Emerald/pseuds/Spring_Emerald
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Responsibility is a weight on the shoulders that Daichi is all too familiar with. </p><p>For the KuroDai Week 2016 Day 1: <strike>First Meeting</strike> / Captaincy</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking Responsibility

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first contribution for the KuroDai week! Happy shipping everyone!
> 
> This is full of various headcanons I have about Kuroo and Daichi as captains; how they came to be, and what motivates them...so yeah.
> 
> Unbeta'd. Apologies for any mistakes. Enjoy! :D

Responsibility is a weight on the shoulders that Daichi is all too familiar with.

He has carried it at a young age, after he made a promise that he would take care of his mother in his father’s stead, while the latter is away. He’s the only child-the only son, and there is really no one else to put this responsibility on. It is a task that Daichi took to heart and took seriously. So, at an early age, Daichi learned to do household chores, and was already quite trained in domesticity.

In school, it always gives Daichi a sense of accomplishment and a hint of pride, when his classmates ask for his help, or when his teachers ask a small favor from him. ‘ _He is a natural leader_ ’, he remembers his class adviser tell his mother. He has a vague idea of what it really means, because asking his classmates to line up nicely when no one wants to say anything, doesn’t seem like a leader-like thing to do. But nevertheless, he accepted the compliment wholeheartedly when his mother looked at him with a satisfied and proud smile on her face.

                                                       

Like any little boys, Daichi had spent his free time playing sports they also often played during P.E. A baseball match there, then a basketball game the next, then he will get roped to playing football. Daichi enjoyed playing these games. Team games are more enjoyable for him, unlike those that are played alone like, track-and-field. But unlike some of his classmates, who he thinks are taking the game way too seriously, he was playing for the fun and excitement of it. He would often hear them exclaim that they are going to be the next legendary sports star. It makes Daichi imagine himself in that kind of position sometimes, and while being the next baseball superstar who could throw mean curveballs doesn’t sound so bad, Daichi doesn’t feel too warmed up with the idea.

It was in sixth grade when he learned about volleyball. They had a new P.E. teacher and unlike the previous teacher they had (who only seem to want to make them play baseball, and the occasional football) their new teacher actually introduced them to other sports, one of which is volleyball. And there was a sense of belongingness, a sense of purpose that Daichi hadn’t felt before. Volleyball, he decided, is the sport that he could see playing for a long time, and possibly go crazy for. He would often ask questions about the sport, and his teacher is always enthusiastic to share his knowledge, and Daichi is equally enthusiastic to learn.

“You’ll make a fine player, Sawamura-kun,” his sensei said with pride. Which he probably should be proud of because he has influenced Daichi far more than any of his other teachers had. “If you continue to play and lead like that, I’m sure great things will come for you.”

These are the words that Daichi carried when he entered middle school and immediately signed up for the volleyball club. He has teammates to call his own, and volleyball is not just a sport that he could only play during gym period. He is learning more and more about the sport, and gathering more skill that would help him grow. His school is not that great, but they are average and don’t necessarily lack for skills. But this wasn’t enough to gain them a spot in the different tournaments. Daichi doesn’t let this bring him down. He has a lot of things ahead for him, and this is just the beginning.

His optimism did not only inspire the spirits of his teammates but it has also caught the eyes of their sensei. Therefore, when the time came for the current third years to turn over the leadership, Daichi was the unanimous choice to lead Izumidate the following year. Ikejiri couldn’t have been happier for him, when he told his friend the news.

But, as much as Daichi hoped and believed, there would be some things that can’t be achieved overnight. No matter how inspiring his words are, no matter how unwavering his belief is, their third year in middle school ended in a disappointment. Not with his teammates, no. But more with himself. He allowed himself a little reprieve over their loss, silently mourning, biting his lips in frustration, keeping his responses to the minimum. Ikejiri must have sense his need to be alone, and promptly left him and urged the others to do the same. After a few hours, he’s made peace, and with renewed hope, Daichi moved on.

 

He hadn’t heard of Karasuno ever since that match in the Nationals. But this didn’t make Daichi falter in his belief. He heard that the coach, the old, but ferocious Ukai, had gone on to rest indefinitely after his collapsing episode, but surely, there would be someone to take over for him.

Daichi couldn’t have been more wrong.

Looking at his fellow first years with the spark in still alive, despite the current reality they are facing, then to his senpais who all have the sad, disillusioned look on their eyes, he didn’t know who to pity more. He figured that it must have been really tough for his senpais, and it’s about to be tougher now, that they have to carry new people. Daichi figured that he and his fellow first years they have to make it easier, bear the burden along with them, in their silent way.

The loss of Coach Ukai and the fast descent of the once admirable champions are a hard pill to swallow, but this is what they have now, and Daichi will be damned , if he is not going to do anything about it. He’s good with learning things, from books and from watching others. He’d do something about this, to turn everything around. And for a while, they did. It wasn’t enough, but at least it was something.

Still, the vines were trying hard to pull them down, and hold them back. They have to trudge on more forcefully. And trudge on they did.

Sadly, it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

“If that opportunity comes, grab unto it and never let it go,” Tashiro-san exclaimed. And Daichi promised himself that he would do whatever hold he can and he will make sure that no one from their future team would suffer the same fate they did.

 

Their excitement was understandable when a lot of first years signed up for the team. It was twice their number, when they entered, after all. So among him, Suga, and Asahi, their eagerness made up for the lack of it in Kurokawa-san. Somehow, by some stroke of luck, a famed libero joined their ranks. Daichi felt a surge of relief in knowing that the holes in defense would be better guarded. A promising wing spiker who is a loud as he is strong, who more than makes up for the quiet and more behaved demeanor of his peers. All was good, and was made even better when they got wind that Coach Ukai would be back to fill in the gap that was left vacant. ‘Finally’, Daichi thought. The window of opportunity is slowly opening up again. Their moment is coming.

Their moment, however was short lived, when the majority of the first years decided to skip practice. It started with minor sickness and maybe he was naïve and worried enough to believe them. But by the seventh time it happened, he knew that it was just more than feeling a little under the weather. He has personally talked to all of them, and while two of the first years decided that they were better off without volleyball, well, there wasn’t really anything that he could say. His convincing paid off with Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita anyway.

“Dealing with people can be tough,” Kurokawa-san told him. “But kindness alone isn’t going to cut it.”

He understood the words back then, but frankly, it made little sense to Daichi why Kurokawa-san said that to him. Their senpai usually comes off as cold and detached, but he’s always there to help and guide as much as possible. It wasn’t until another failure to last in the Spring High tournament that it made sense to Daichi, that all the reminders Kurokawa-san was giving him, was to prepare him for his role as the next captain of the team. Tanaka and Noya were more than thrilled, as well as Suga and Asahi.

“Really, Daichi.” Suga said, after the small turn-over ceremony their team held. “I don’t know why you’re surprised. Asahi and I aren’t really cut out for the job.”

Asahi, who was standing beside Suga nodded furiously. He stopped when Daichi trained his eyes on him. “Besides”, he blurted, “you have been carrying the team ever since we were first years, Daichi.” He said while rubbing his nape.

Daichi opened his mouth to reply but whatever he has to say was promptly drowned by Tanaka and Nishinoya’s cheers, and well, there isn’t really time to waste, not when the March prefectural tournament is rolling in. This is going to be the first test of his captaincy, and well, he doesn’t want to fail it, along with the team.

Their loss against Datekou was not the hardest blow Daichi has to deal with. It was the loss of Asahi and the suspension of Noya that increased the pressure, that wasn’t so heavy before. It doesn’t help that he would sometimes find Suga have this haunting look in his eyes, that would be replaced by the usual cheerfulness, when he notice that Daichi is looking. Daichi is not wrong in thinking that Suga undoubtedly blames himself, and this in turn makes him more frustrated about himself. But there is no helping to it. It’s a new year, a new term, and the only way now is forward.

 

Daichi was beyond amazed when he learned that Kitagawa Daiichi’s esteemed setter entered Karasuno. Along with him, the Nameless Wonder, that he later learns as the Hinata person. Then he became beyond irritated with the stunt they pulled that almost cost the entire team. There are two others, and if they are to cause the same commotion as the former did, Daichi doesn’t know what and how he would lead them.

As it turns out, he doesn’t have anything to worry about. Kageyama and Hinata sorted out their differences, and while they are not completely at ease with each other outside of the courts, it was still a good progress in Daichi’s eyes. Tsukishima, for all his sarcastic remarks and the indifferent front he tries to maintain; and Yamaguchi, for all his clumsiness and apparent hero-worship of Tsukishima, proved that they have enough fire and drive, and that’s all Daichi needs.

This doesn’t solve the problem that they still don’t have a coach. Having a faculty adviser is one thing, since Takeda-sensei is very supportive and willing to help, but he doesn’t have anything to offer them, especially in the technical front. Daichi knows how hard it is to learn without proper guidance, and while he doesn’t doubt his and Suga’s ability to teach the first years, there is also a limit to what they could and how they would teach. If Daichi is being completely honest with himself, it’s the scary prospect of having the rich potential go to waste. He doesn’t want his kouhais to have the same hard experiences their senpais did. He’s prayed fervently for a miracle to happen, and hoped that Takeda-sensei succeeds this time, and while he’s still waiting for it, he’s got to make sure that they still have the new recruits with them.

 

Good things come to those who wait and prepare, and the first good thing that’s ever happened in a long time is when Aoba Johsai accepted their request for a practice match. It came with conditions, but a practice match is a practice match, and it is always better than nothing at all. Things started to fall into place since then. Takeda-sensei managed to score a practice match against Nekoma, Asahi and Nishinoya returned, and inspired the team more, then Takeda-sensei actually found someone to be their coach, and actually managed to make him stay, and somehow it feels like a burden is lifted from his shoulders, because at least now, the fears he had before are now gone. They can focus on doing better, and growing together, and Daichi just couldn’t wait for what the future has in store for them.

\-----

Kuroo is still not used to being called ‘captain’, even if it’s already been a month since he has been instated. He doesn’t completely understand the decision. Yaku is the most responsible among the third years, but too bad he plays libero and libero can’t be team captain. Kai, on the other hand is content in following other people’s lead, and since it was Coach Nekomata who assigned the captaincy, Kuroo can’t very well say no to it. So, he does what he does best, and just goes with the flow. It’s not that Kuroo doesn’t want the title, he’s just not used to the responsibilities that would surely come along with it, because, if he’s completely honest, he thinks he is not cut out for it.

He did start playing volleyball for the heck of it. He remembers that, and at a young age, he already began fearing for his eyesight. All of the videogame playing with Kenma can’t be too good for either of them. And Kuroo very much like to keep his mysterious and cheeky front, and that would be ruined if he ever had to wear eyeglasses. And so one day, in an attempt to rest his eyes, he watched the television (it is a better alternative, at least he doesn’t have to stay close to the screen). When it opened, it was left in a sports channel, and there was a sport he was unfamiliar with playing on the screen. He later learned that is called volleyball and berated himself for not noticing it sooner. He has heard of this game before. It was an offered gym class sport, but being the active 11 year old that he is, he opted to take football. If this was how volleyball was played, then he wants in.

Kuroo was taken with the way the players moved around the court, and the way they would be able to slam a ball so hard, without the other team being able to anything about it. But what really got him, was when the tall players, lined up in front of the net, jumped simultaneously and stopped the ball. Kuroo thinks that that must have felt amazing, to completely stop a strong and fast ball, with just jumping with their hands and arms. Kuroo learns later that it was called a block, after he pestered his father to teach him about volleyball.

After knowing more about the sport and playing it as much as inexperienced kid could, there came a point where he excitement was too much for Kuroo to bear that he decided to pester Kenma about. His childhood friend would just be content with watching him toss and spike the ball, while he chat his head off, and it continued in that fashion, until one fateful day when Kenma’s game console broke and his neighbor is left depressed and bored.

Kuroo knows Kenma doesn’t like sports. The other hates being active, but he has made it his personal mission to persuade Kenma to play volleyball with him. And so, Kuroo did. Kuroo taught Kenma how to toss the ball above his head, as this is the least tiring thing that Kenma willingly put up with.

“I don’t have to run, right?” He asked Kuroo.

“Nope.” Kuroo promised. “You can just stand wherever you are right now, and toss the ball above your head, but make sure that you throw in in my direction.” Kuroo said, as he demonstrated the action to Kenma. He knows that it would be easy for the younger one. Kenma, for all his quietness, is a keen observer. He doesn’t talk much, but if he ever does, he seem to know more about what has happened around him. Kuroo was excited when Kenma conceded, and he was equally accomplished because phase 1 of his plan went along smoothly.

The second phase would have to wait until Kenma actually gets to start middle school. But while Kuroo is already in there, he better make sure that Kenma would fit in nicely with their team, and that he would feel comfortable around his soon to be teammates. So, Kuroo went on a mission to discover who among the members likes playing video games. Then he would promptly ask them videogame related questions, then he would eventually slip in Kenma’s name and brag about his videogame achievements. It was not much, but it’s a start. At home, with Kenma, he would tell tales of how practice went, and he would talk about the different shenanigans him and his teammates have been up to, along with the practice drills they had for the day. It would probably be a good idea to have Kenma know about them before he actually meets them.

So far, so good. Kuroo invited Kenma to watch their team in the Inter-Middle Competition, in the guise of wanting Kenma to see him in action. In reality, Kuroo plans to introduce Kenma to the members and vice versa. Kuroo felt like a proud big brother when he saw that Kenma felt at ease with them, even if it was the first time he had actually met them. And the team, who were eager to meet Kuroo’s best friend, did not disappoint. He could see the light in Kenma’s eyes as one of the member asked about the particular videogame Kenma has recently finished. Safe to say that by the time Kenma successfully entered middle school, and joined the club, Phase 2 is also going smoothly as well, and went on in the same way for the next years to come.

 

High school, however, was a different matter altogether. The senpais have this culture of entitlement, which they haven’t even earned. It irked Kuroo more than anything else, but if he is able to convince at least one of his fellow newbies, then Kenma would still have a place here. Too bad, the fellow new kid, Yaku, has already taken to giving him a stinky eye, and well, Kuroo was only human, and he wasn’t called mischievous and annoying for nothing. But if there was one thing that they would bond over, it’s their mutual dislike of their senpais, especially the second years. They weren’t many, the third years still outnumber them, but at least the third year senpais were more bearable than them. Kuroo thinks that he would have a hard time easing Kenma into this team.

It was pretty easy to convince Kenma to join the volleyball club. Kuroo was there after all. He would join, even if only for Kuroo. But since Kuroo knows that Kenma doesn’t actually dislike volleyball, he is quite confident that Kenma’s reasons are more than meets the eye. His fears, however, were founded to be true. The now third years were hell bent on giving the current recruits a hard time. They were like _dogs_ , able to sniff out the weakness and insecurities of the new members, and well, Kenma wasn’t making his case any easier, with the way he visibly fidgets when under scrutiny. Unlike Yamamoto, who Kuroo could tell was doing everything in his willpower to meet the stares dead-on, and Fukunaga, who simply stared back without any reaction at all.

Kuroo had so badly wanted to defend Kenma then, and regrets that he couldn’t do much. He has become a starting member early on, since he is one of few tall guys Nekoma has, and this basically gives him a free pass. Not that he is afraid to lose that privilege, because he wouldn’t mind, but because Kuroo knows that Kenma doesn’t like to be coddled. At least, not in public, especially not in front of those who are making fun of him. It would make Kenma seem weaker, and this would put him in the spotlight, which Kenma definitely dislikes. Nevertheless, he was able to convince a Kenma who is on the verge of quitting to stay, and that was the time that Kuroo decided that when it’s time for them to take over the team, he would turn things around, one way or another.

It was easily done, as it was easily said, especially with the return of Nekomata-sensei as their coach. And so, his current predicament. But on a hindsight, then so be it, if this will make things easier for all of them. Since he’s already here, might as well make a legacy that would differentiate them from the previous Nekoma team. With that in mind, he has taken into chanting a mantra, so to speak, to set the mood. The team, particularly Yaku and Kenma had given him incredulous looks at first, but Yamamoto and Inuoka’s eagerness and Kai’s compliment made up for it. Kuroo thinks that being a captain could be such a good thing after all.

 

It was a few days before Golden Week when Nekomata-sensei announced that they would take a trip to Miyagi, and he has arranged a practice match with Karasuno. Kuroo’s ears perked at the information, and the third years looked at each other. They know enough about Karasuno and the legendary Battle of the Trash Heap that used to take place years ago. They have heard their senpais talk about it, but since the originator of such matches is not around anymore, there wasn’t any point in reliving the past or talking about it. The second and first years looked on in confusion, and this prompted Naoki-sensei to explain just who Karasuno is. Kuroo couldn’t believe his luck. His last year in Nekoma, and to be given this opportunity to meet their ‘destined rivals’, there must be some deity up there that loves him. And boy he just couldn’t wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! :D


End file.
